Todor K. Kalkandjiev

Conical refraction Nd:KGd(WO_4)_2 laser

In 1832 Hamilton predicted conical refraction, concluding that if a beam propagates along an optic axis of a biaxial crystal, a hollow cone of light will emerge. Nearly two centuries on, cascade conical refraction involving multiple crystals has not been investigated. We empirically investigate a unique two-crystal configuration, and use this to demonstrate an ultra-efficient conical refraction Nd:KGd(WO(4))(2) laser providing multi-watt output with excellent beam quality independent of resonator design with a slope efficiency close to the theoretical maximum, offering a new route for power and brightness-scaling in solid-state bulk lasers.

Free-space optical polarization demultiplexing and multiplexing by means of conical refraction

This paper presents a novel method to demultiplex and multiplex a monochromatic input light beam into, in principle, an arbitrary number of polarization states by means of the conical refraction (CR) phenomenon. In CR, when a focused Gaussian beam passes along the optic axis of a biaxial crystal it its transformed into a light ring at the focal plane of the system (or ring plane). Angular amplitude masks forming a star burst like pattern with n (up to 12) opened circular sectors placed at the ring plane allow passing only some sectors of the ring. These sectors form the communication channels. A second biaxial crystal identical to the first one and placed after it with opposite orientation of its plane of optic axes multiplexes the selected channels into a single beam, similar to the input Gaussian one. Finally, a third biaxial crystal is used to decode the transmitted channels at the receiver stage. With this technique, an increase in one order of magnitude in the channel capacity for free space optical communications (FSOC) of a monochromatic input Gaussian beam at 640 nm for a free space propagation distance of 4m with controlled crosstalk is observed.

Wave-vector and polarization dependence of conical refraction

We experimentally address the wave-vector and polarization dependence of the internal conical refraction phenomenon by demonstrating that an input light beam of elliptical transverse profile refracts into two beams after passing along one of the optic axes of a biaxial crystal, i.e. it exhibits double refraction instead of refracting conically. Such double refraction is investigated by the independent rotation of a linear polarizer and a cylindrical lens. Expressions to describe the position and the intensity pattern of the refracted beams are presented and applied to predict the intensity pattern for an axicon beam propagating along the optic axis of a biaxial crystal.

Blue-detuned optical ring trap for Bose-Einstein condensates based on conical refraction

We present a novel approach for the optical manipulation of neutral atoms in annular light structures produced by the phenomenon of conical refraction occurring in biaxial optical crystals. For a beam focused to a plane behind the crystal, the focal plane exhibits two concentric bright rings enclosing a ring of null intensity called the Poggendorff ring. We demonstrate both theoretically and experimentally that the Poggendorff dark ring of conical refraction is confined in three dimensions by regions of higher intensity. We derive the positions of the confining intensity maxima and minima and discuss the application of the Poggendorff ring for trapping ultra-cold atoms using the repulsive dipole force of blue-detuned light. We give analytical expressions for the trapping frequencies and potential depths along both the radial and the axial directions. Finally, we present realistic numerical simulations of the dynamics of a 87Rb Bose-Einstein condensate trapped inside the Poggendorff ring which are in good agreement with corresponding experimental results.

Polarization tailored novel vector beams based on conical refraction

Coherent vector beams with involved states of polarization (SOP) are widespread in the literature, having applications in laser processing, super-resolution imaging and particle trapping. We report novel vector beams obtained by transforming a Gaussian beam passing through a biaxial crystal, by means of the conical refraction phenomenon. We analyze both experimentally and theoretically the SOP of the different vector beams generated and demonstrate that the SOP of the input beam can be used to control both the shape and the SOP of the transformed beam. We also identify polarization singularities of such beams for the first time and demonstrate their control by the SOP of the input beam.

Generating a three-dimensional dark focus from a single conically refracted light beam

We report here the generation of a three-dimensional (3D) dark focus from a single focused monochromatic Gaussian beam that undergoes conical refraction when it propagates along one of the optic axes of a biaxial crystal. We study the resulting ring intensity pattern behind the crystal as a function of the ratio between the ring radius and the beam waist and derive the particular parameter values for which a 3D dark focus with null intensity at the ring center is formed. We have performed experiments with a KGd(WO(4))(2) biaxial crystal, reporting the generation of a bottle beam in full agreement with our theoretical investigations.When a light beam passes through a cascade of biaxial crystals with aligned optic axes, the resulting transverse intensity pattern consists of multiple concentric rings. We provide a simple formulation for the pattern formation for both circularly and linearly polarized input beams, that could be applied for a cascade of an arbitrary number of biaxial crystals. We have experimentally investigated multiple ring formation with up to three cascade biaxial crystals, showing that the theoretical formulation is in full agreement with the experimental results.

Optimization, tolerance analysis and implementation of a Stokes polarimeter based on the conical refraction phenomenon.

Recently, we introduced the basic concepts behind a new polarimeter device based on conical refraction (CR), which presents several appealing features compared to standard polarimeters. To name some of them, CR polarimeters retrieve the polarization state of an input light beam with a snapshot measurement, allow for substantially enhancing the data redundancy without increasing the measuring time, and avoid instrumental errors owing to rotating elements or phase-to-voltage calibration typical from dynamic devices. In this article, we present a comprehensive study of the optimization, robustness and parameters tolerance of CR based polarimeters. In addition, a particular CR based polarimetric architecture is experimentally implemented, and some concerns and recommendations are provided. Finally, the implemented polarimeter is experimentally tested by measuring different states of polarization, including fully and partially polarized light.

Multiple rings formation in cascaded conical refraction

When a light beam passes through a cascade of biaxial crystals (BCs) with aligned optic axes, the resulting transverse intensity pattern consists of multiple concentric rings. We provide a simple formulation for the pattern formation for both circularly and linearly polarized input beams, that could be applied for a cascade of an arbitrary number of BCs. We have experimentally investigated multiple ring formation with up to three cascade BCs, showing that the theoretical formulation is in full agreement with the experimental results.

On the dual-cone nature of the conical refraction phenomenon.

In conical refraction (CR), a focused Gaussian input beam passing through a biaxial crystal and parallel to one of the optic axes is transformed into a pair of concentric bright rings split by a dark (Poggendorff) ring at the focal plane. Here, we show the generation of a CR transverse pattern that does not present the Poggendorff fine splitting at the focal plane, i.e., it forms a single light ring. This light ring is generated from a nonhomogeneously polarized input light beam obtained by using a spatially inhomogeneous polarizer that mimics the characteristic CR polarization distribution. This polarizer allows modulating the relative intensity between the two CR light cones in accordance with the recently proposed dual-cone model of the CR phenomenon. We show that the absence of interfering rings at the focal plane is caused by the selection of one of the two CR cones.

Light propagation in biaxial crystals

We present a formalism able to predict the transformation of light beams passing through biaxial crystals. We use this formalism to show both theoretically and experimentally the transition from double refraction to conical refraction, which is found when light propagates along one of the optic axes of a biaxial crystal. Additionally, we demonstrate that the theory is applicable both to non-cylindrically symmetric and non-homogeneously polarized beams by predicting the transformation of input beams passing through a cascade of biaxial crystals.